


Warmth

by vivacephoenix



Category: Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Childhood, F/M, Family, Gen, Married Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-18 13:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3570572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivacephoenix/pseuds/vivacephoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A happy day out in spring for a family with a lot of responsibilities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warmth

" _Light/so low up, up_ —upon— _the earth/you send a fla, fla_ — _flash to the sun/Here is the g, g,_ —golden— _close of love, all my w, w,_ —wooing— _is done._

"Da, what’s "wooing?" James looked up at Will inquisitively from the book on their laps.

"Hmmm…” Will began, with a grin at Tessa across the picnic blanket. How do you explain courtship to a five-year old? "To woo someone is to do romantic gestures for them, like taking them on carriage rides or buying them something they would like."

James frowned. “Why?”

"Because you love them and want to show it. Your poem talks about that later." He pointed at a verse farther down the page: " _For this is the golden morning of love/and you his morning sta_ r."

James thought about this answer and shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

"It’s a bit complicated, sweetheart," Tessa interjected. Adjusting Lucie in her lap, she continued: "In the beginning, romantic gestures are nice, but what really matters are the feelings behind them.

"That’s why Tennyson says his wooing is done." Will explained. "They understand each other in love. Like Da with Mummy and J— Brother Zachariah." Tessa met Will’s eyes and smiled. She reached up to touch her pendant from Jem.

James still looked puzzled by the conversation. “I think that’s enough reading practice together, Da. I have to do my study now.” He sat up in an imitation of Will at the desk in the Institute and bent back over his book.

"Of course,  _cariad_.” Will kissed the top of his head. “Let us know if you want help.”

With James now trying to read on his own and Lucie still asleep against Tessa’s chest, silence fell over their group under the stately oak tree. In the distance, a group of children chased dragonflies and fed the ducks and couples strolled arm and arm down the paths with ladies using their parasols to avoid the noon sun. Hyde Park in summer now felt familiar to her, part of her adopted home.

"You know, Lucie is wearing most of that Doorstop so I think she enjoyed it." Tessa turned back to Will and looked down. Lucie did have dough and sugar streaked through her hair and all down the front of her dress. Which meant it was all over Tessa’s dress now as well. She reached into the picnic basket for a napkin, the runes on her bracelet catching the light in the May sun.

"And to think, that was with me feeding pieces to her," Tessa laughed as she tried to wipe the sugar from Lucie’s hair. "Imagine what she would have done on her own." She paused as she dropped her voice. "Though it does mean I’ll have to clean up later," she finished with a raise of her eyebrows.

Will grinned back at her. “Indeed.” She felt a warm sense of excitement bubbling in her veins. “Provided certain individuals go to bed on time,” he murmured. They both glanced over at James who was still absorbed in saying the letter sounds to himself and then at Lucie, just beginning to fidget and stir from her nap.

"And if they do?" Tessa said, leaning forward. Will’s face flushed and he glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot. This was a completely scandalous conversation to have in public. Somehow the warm sunshine had gone to both of their heads and Tessa felt like laughing. Today they were not politicians and symbols, just a family on a picnic. "Well…, " he began quietly. "There’s always the library—oof!"

Lucie had finished waking up and thrown herself at Will and James. “Da! James! Play with me!” She began twisting the Herondale ring on Will’s finger. Tessa and Will exchanged a glance.

"Later" she mouthed at him, and he nodded and smiled.

"I want a book,” Lucie said, pointing at James. "Mummy and Da and James get books. I’m almost three. Big ladies get books.” She crossed her arms and nodded solemnly.

"You’ll get a book soon, my dear," Tessa replied. In fact, Sophie had told her yesterday about the present she’d picked out for Lucie’s birthday next week.

"I get cake, a book, and presents!" Lucie shrieked and picked up the rest of her Doorstop. "James, James, did you hearded that?!" She then threw the pastry at her brother and smashed it in his dark hair.

James yelled and toppled off their blanket onto a tree root. “That was mean! You ruined my book from Auntie Cecily!” He glared at Lucie, the pastry sliding down his hair. Passerby in the park turned to stare at the family on the picnic blanket.

"James, your book is fine", Will said soothingly, picking it up out of the grass. "But that was an unkind thing to do, Lucie Herondale. Apologize to your brother.”

Lucie frowned. “But he did not listen.”

"Then you repeat what you said. You keep your hands and your food to yourself."

Lucie pattered over to where James was pouting on the tree root. “I’m sorry, James.” She hugged him and kissed his cheek. After a moment, James sighed and hugged her back.

Tessa felt as if her heart were glowing. She met Will’s eyes as he reached for his heart, where his parabatai scar and marriage rune rested.

Blinking back tears, Tessa said, “Why don’t I read for a while?”

"The book has my name in it, Mummy." James let go of his sister and nestled into Tessa’s side. "See? James William Herondale. That’s my name." He looked up at Tessa seriously. "But you like books, so you can read it."

Will gathered up Lucie from where she was trying to eat a beetle on the tree root. “How about some more of the Tennyson?” Tessa smiled. They knew it by heart, but she pointed to the words on the page so James could try and follow along. “ _Heart, are you great enough/for a love that never tires?/O heart, are you great enough for love?_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally part of a longer T/W/J piece that I lost in a program crash, but I liked what I still had left. The poem is Tennyson's "Marriage Morning". For my friend Mauve.


End file.
